Misunderstood
by CrackerTales
Summary: It was understandable Judy s parents were this surprised. It was not their fault a word could be so ambiguous. ONE SHOT
Hello! I though I would not write for Zootopia but this idea amuse me enough to not let it go. I hope you enjoy

(The movie and it´s characters belong to Disney)

 **Misunderstood**  
 **By CrackerTales**

What a lovely day it was on Bunny Burrows! The eager Mrs Hopps was dancing among boxes of carrots and blueberries along the music on her own heart. Her daughter, her beautiful Judy, will arrive soon after being away for such long time! She was the very first rabbit cop in Zootopia, she has come so far! No longer was she that little bunny Mrs. Hoops used to tell bedtime stories to make her sleep at night. Judy´s dream became true, and all pointed that so did Mrs. Hopps' . And that´s why she was so cheerful.

Her girl agreed to make a little space on her very busy life to visit her old folks back on the farm, and if that wasn´t enough reason to be happy, she had announced she would not be coming alone, her partner was also coming to meet them and finally see their modest home. According to Judy, he insisted on visiting 'the blueberry farm because, apparently, he was a fan.

Mrs. Hopps could barely believe it. Her Judy was in love! but the girl had been cautious about the whole situation, yet, at the end, it was just one little word that escape her mouth and forced her to tell them about this mysterious man: "It was a rough day, but at least Nick was there with me". At the mother and father´s burst of interested questions attacked the bunny cop who just answered "he is my partner" with a high sense of pride on her voice and a shy smile playing on her lips. There was no doubt, she had finally found someone.

Needless to say Mr. Hopps could not believe it either, but for completely different reasons. Judy was his little girl! She shouldn´t be strolling around with some city boy she barely knew, nor she should be distracted from her work for his sake, as the rabbit suspected she did. But most importantly, she should not fall in love this fast. Who was this Nick anyway? How did they met? When he asked, his bunny girl gave vague answers and chuckled nervously, that make him frown with distrust. From that day on, he would ask for the infamous Nick at every call, and the answer was always evasive. It was until the week previous to her visit, months after he first knew about this guy, that he got to hear his voice. They have called Judy to arrange everything for her next visit and kept her talking more time than the necessary even when she said she was at work. Suddenly, her attention diverted from them and with her sweet voice she casually said 'it´s my parents' to an unknown third part. The next thing Mr Hopps knew was she protesting as someone took her phone away from her ears. What came next was a charming male voice who praised their extraordinary blueberries. Mr. Hopps knew an opportunity when he saw one, and he invite the bandit to come along with his daughter the following week.

He accepted in a heartbeat.

And so, the day had finally come. Mrs Hopps was excited and Mr. Hopps, grumpy.

"Cheer up, darling!" she said kissing his forehead "He can't be that bad!"

"He is a man, Bonnie!" he said frowning even more deeply "They all are!"

And she just shook her head with an amused smile.

A knock on the door made both rabbits alert, then happy, then nervous. They knew it was her! And they were impatient to see her after so long! They also knew, it was him too, and it made the mother feel glad because his daughter had a mate, and the father nauseous, for the same reason.

At the end, it was Mrs. Hopps who answered the door's shy knocks, her husband's feet were glued to the ground and air was slowly leaving him. It was Judy´s face the first thing they saw, and it was her face what they kissed gladly shortly after. Between hugs, greetings and laughs, Mr. Hopps allowed himself for a moment to forget all his worries and enjoy the visit of a young woman he was so proud of. But of course it didn´t lasted long.

"Hey, Carrots! there´s plenty of parking space here! Why did you leave the car so far?"

At the sound of his voice Judy´s body became stiff, and at the sight of him her parents became speechless

"Judy?" asked her mother still in shock as the heavy sensation took over her whole chest and worry barely allowed her to speak

"Oh, you must be Mrs. Hopps" said him extending his arm to her "I´m Nick, Nick Wilde"

Poor Bonnie Hopps could not believe it! She thought the day she met her daughter boyfriend would be lot different. She imagine him would be a nice, good mannered rabbit, with a good job and a bright future to share with her. She was raised on a traditional home and expected his daughter to live in a similar way. She should have known it would not be the case the very day she left to join the police.

"He is a fox" said the quiet voice of Mr. Hopps and the guest lowered his ears "He is a fox…" he repeated many times after. Sometimes in whispers, sometimes loud enough to make all uncomfortable as he started to pace around shaking his head and occasionally passing his hands over his head and ears.

"Why is he a fox?" and he raised his voice. His eyes demanded an explanation

"It´s not his fault, dear" said the loving mother despise her shock

"Excuse me?"

"Go outside, Nick" ordered Judy with firm voice while rubbing the sides of her head. But he didn´t feel like it

"You didn't told them I was a fox?"

"I could find the right way!"

"Oh, its easy, I'll show you! You go and said 'Mom, dad, Nick is a Fox'"

"Don't mock me, Wilde!"

"Hey, don´t get mad at me, I am a victim here"

"Nick, this is not the time!"

This is where Mrs. Hopps found her composure again, at the sight of her daughter scolding the predator like he was a fellow rabbit.

"I am very sorry" said she with a tender voice and a heavy blush upon her face "We reacted poorly and it was very rude" if this was the mate her little Judy had chosen, she would swallow her prejudgments, and welcome him as Judy deserved. It was, then, her turn to offer him a hand, one he shook with a strong grab, always smiling.

"Hey, no hard feelings. This must be unusual to you"

Mrs. Hopps decided that someone with a smile like that, could not be that bad. She turned around to look at her husband and found him still pale and breathless. She feared that if she just tap him on the shoulder, he would fall hard on his back.

"Stu?" she called him and he jumped at her voice "Don´t stay there! come and greet your daughter´s guest!"

Mr. Hopps would have refused, but his wife had one of those looks on her eyes and he was feeling too weak to argue. Walking slowly, he got closer to the young fox. Once he was standing in front of him, he looked up to see his face directly. He was tall, but he suspect most foxes were, so maybe he wasn´t that special, that thought put a smirk on his face.

"Mr. Wilde…" he said coldly as he grab his paw

"Just call me Nick" reply the young one with a nervous smile

"Mr. Wilde" was the answered the rabbit gave and the fox clicked his tongue.

It was an awkward situation.

Judy was the one that with a nervous smile broke the silence that had heavily fallen upon them

"Well!" she exclaimed as he clapped her hands "You met my parents, you can go now!" and she pushed him to the door

"But I just arrived!"

"And now you are leaving!"

"But I…"

"Don´t worry about me, I´ll call you. Say hi to everyone back at the ZPD"

"I don´t know how to get back!"

"Just follow the signs! Is not that hard!"

At that moment he fixed his feet on the ground and lay back to her letting his whole weight nearly crush her. Like this, she was unable to move him an inch.

"You lied to me, Carrots" he said smiling and crossing his arms in front of his chest "All I wanted was to meet your folks and have some nice blueberries"

"Oh, we had plenty of those" spoke Mrs. Hopps with his voice still shy "we even got a box prepared for you"

As soon as he heard the news, he stepped aside and ran to the rabbit lady with a big, childish smile on his face. The sudden movement made poor Judy fall flat on her face.

"Come on, Carrots!" said the happy fox "Your mom made food for us!"

And feeling murderous, the bunny stood up and planned what she will said to Chief Bogo

"Such a tragedy, he choke on blueberries"

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**

* * *

"Tell me, boy" said Mr. Hopps forcing a smile "How did you two met?"

Nick finished munching on his carrot stew and rise his eyes to meet the older man's

"It is quite a story, dad" interrupted Judy smiling nervously "You'll love to hear it someday…"

"she arrested me" said Nick still with some food on his mouth

"So you are a criminal?" Mr Hopps looked discreetly at his wife as if he was telling her he had been right

"Criminal is a strong word" exclaimed Judy feeling smaller "Besides, that´s in the past"

But Mr. Hopps was not willing to listen his daughter

"And what did you do, Mr. Wilde? Stole something? Got in a fight?"

"The official version is tax fraud"

"That´s not a lie"

"Yeah, Carrots, but is not the real reason" he interrupted the bunny and turn to her parents again "She wanted something from me" he explained returning his attention to the older couple

Both rabbits looked curiously at him. Mrs. Hopps head was slightly tilt to the right

"Beg your pardon?"

"Your daughter" he continued as he made himself more comfortable on his chair "Arrested me and promise she won't turn me in if I help her with something"

His listeners eyes became bigger and confused.

"She played dirty! She used my personal information and forced me to do things I didn´t want to do!"

Mrs. Hopps hands clasped against her mouth and his husband was red with either shame or anger

"It was strategy!" Judy nearly yelled at the amused fox "It was completely legal!" she explained turning to her scandalized parents

"Blackmail is not legal, Carrots, stop lying to yourself"

The rabbit was starting to lose her patience. She was close to lock that neck of his between her paws, and made him pay for putting her under a bad light in front of her parents

"Judy?" sounded lightly the voice of her mother and when she turn to her, she noticed the worried look on the mother's eyes

"He is exaggerating, mom" replied her with a shy smile.

"If my girl was that horrible to you, Mr. Wilde" said suddenly the male rabbit "How come you are now with her?"

Nick smiled at the question

"Well, after that, we realize we actually made a very good team" and he turned to see her. She blushed when he felt his gaze "Things just went on naturally…"

"Figures" puffed her father under his breath

"Is something bothering you, Mr Hopps" said the fox with a tint of ironic politeness on his voice, for being able to recognize hostility, was trait he developed quite young. Unfortunately for him, Judy could recognize sarcasm as well and her long, grey ears raised with alert.

"Nothing, mah boy!" said the rabbit smiling sheepishly at the youngster while trying to cut a piece of carrot with his knife, only to notice there was no carrot to cut at all. Red color took over his cheeks and he pretended to act as casual as an stressed bunny could and pray the fox would not notice.

"Say" exclaimed the other with mockery on his eyes "you look shaky, is everything all right?"

"y…yes… why wouldn't it be?" was the unsure answer and the shy smile was back to the farmers face.

Nick click his tongue.

"Mr. Hopps, I think you must have a fever!" he said as he leaned closer to the poor rabbit, who by pure instinct, moved away from him "You are sweaty and red."

"Nick" in vain tried the young cop to stop him as he moved closer to her father

"Let me check your…"

And a loud smack was heard on the place. Nick held his paw against his chest and rubbed tenderly as he tried to make the pain go away. Surprise was not shown on his features, nor was anger not betrayal, but pity and hurt. Stu Hopps, on the other hand, had his fur tensed up, and raised were his ears. His feet were ready to run, if it would ever be the case. The fox open his mouth to said something, thought he could not do, for he started complaining and whining in pain as his friend pulled him back by an ear

"Carrots, it hurts!"

"Serves you right! Jerk!" she put all her effort on not yelling, yet her anger was so noticeable it could almost be touched

"What?" Wilde cried "He started it!"

"He was… scared" She lowered her head unable to meet his eyes

"Afraid of me?" the silence was the only answer he needed. He grabbed her softly by the collar of her printed shirt and guided her out the room

"You said he was not afraid of foxes" he exclaimed once they were out of sight, always trying to keep it low. but it was not enough

"He wasn´t! He had been working with Gideon and all that"

"Who the… tail is Gideon?"

"Remember that fox I told you about?"

"Oh, so is ok to be friends with the bully but not with me?"

"Come on, Nick!" said her in distress "You are being childish!"

"You are ashamed of me!"

"Don't say that…"

"Don´t you think I notice you avoid talking about me on your phone calls?"

Silence

"It´s not like that"

"Oh, really?" he said with irony on his voice "Then how is it?"

Judy took a few seconds to choose her words carefully

"Gideon is just an acquaintance, he works with them and all that, you are… different"

The red fox bowed to be at her level, her eyes met his and his snot almost touched her nose

"How?" he asked lowly

"You are my partner" replied her convinced and loud enough for anyone to hear her.

"And what should you have told your folks?"

"That you're a fox"

"And a cop"

"and a cop" repeated her nodding while she rolled her eyes

"and cute"

"That´s…. unappropriated"

"Ok, how about handsome?"

"Don´t get yourself so high Wilde!" she said joking as she knocked him in the side with her elbow

He chuckled.

Actually, they both did.

"I am sorry" she said shortly after "let me do this correctly" and she grab his tie as she usually did to lead him wherever she wanted him to be.

When they returned to the dinner room, both Mr and Mrs Hopps tried awkwardly to pretend they weren't trying to hear their conversation. The true was they heard enough and had mixed feelings about it

"Mom, Dad…" said the violet eyed bunny with a big smile on her lips "This is Nick Wilde and he is my partner"

"But why?! " was the distressed and sudden answer the father gave. On his wife opinion, it had been a little too dramatic

"Well" said Judy looking up to the fox whose red fur hide the blush on his cheeks "I personally asked for him"

"But…but… There are a lot of rabbits on the city!"

Judy looked confused at her father

"I am the only rabbit on the ZPD…"

"So?"

"I can´t have a civilian rabbit for a partner"

"That's doesn't make any sense! What kind of stupid rule is that!"

By this point, Wilde was trying to hide his snickering behind his paw for he had finally understood what was going on.

"Oh, please, Stu! Don't be rude!" snapped Mrs Hopps tired of her husband childlike behavior "I am so sorry, dear" she said to Nick who was still grinning. With a gesture, he made her know her apology was accepted

"We were ignorant" continued Judy´s mother "If you are the one my daughter chose, the one she loves, we will accept you into the family"

"What?" was the surprised an confused reaction of the young rabbit "No, mom! you are wrong! He is not…"

"there is not point denying it anymore, my love!" interrupted the fox holding her in his arms and forcing her head to rest on his chest. She puffed on frustration and struggle to free herself "it´s ok, dear, they understand, we can be fully happy now"

"No! We can´t!" yelled her desperate to explain it all to her parents "Mom, dad! is not what you think… we are just…. Nick! Cut that out" the fox was snickering once again, soon, it turned into a laugh he could barely contain and he let her go. Once she was free, Judy fixed her clothes and sent an angry look in the fox direction, but she did nothing to him because somehow, she felt she deserved the punishment. Composing herself she turned once again to her parents and tried to explain it all. This time for good.

"He is a cop, we work together" she said exaggerating her gestures "we are partners on duty, not lovers!"

"OH, THANKS HEAVENS!" exclaimed Stu Hopps in a very exaggerated way "you almost gave your old man a heart attack" Yet he had no reason to complaint to her, for it was been them who mixed it up.

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**

* * *

After dinner was over and they shared every fun story that came to mind. Both Mrs and Mr. Hopps started to feel relaxed around the fox and decided he was a rather nice guy. Judy´s mother even blushed and chuckled whenever he compliment her cooking or her taste in decoration. Later she would refer to him as 'charming'. Mr Hopps on his own behalf, would feel very proud and glad to hear that Nick considered his blueberries the best on the county, and would sheepishly accept the praises.

They were all happy, especially Judy.

Time to sleep finally came, and being very late, they decide to allowed Nick to stay for the night, after all, there was a spot ready for 'Judy´s boyfriend' on her father´s room. Nick tried to refuse, but it was easy to convince him to take the old air mattress. With wishes to spend a good night and the promise to see each other the following day, he left Mrs Hopps and his beloved Carrots and went to sleep.

After a couple a hours, he wake up suddenly for he had one of those sensations of being watched. Sitting down on the mattress, he rubbed his eyes and look around in the dark.

There, in the bed, he could see a shaking figure facing the wall. Careful and quiet, he stood up and tiptoe there. Holding his breath and raising his cold paw, he slowly brought it closer to his victim

"Hey, Mr hopps" he said casually and the rabbit jumped several feet up as he let a shirk out.

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**

* * *

 **The End**

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After a while, this is my first one shot with no drama, just fluffly stuff. Yay for me!

Also, they may not be a couple here but that doesn´t mean i don´t ship it. True is, I do, they are adorable together. But the idea of Judy´s parents being confused by the term partner was somehow funny for me and decided to give it a try. It is a short, light hearted story, I know, and i hope you all enjoyed

Have a very good day.


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